A zhan storm is a type of electrical storm found on Kerren. The "thunderhead" is darker than normal, with an almost purplish tint. When the electrical discharges occur, they occur across the clouds of the storm, not to the ground. It is this electrical dischage that creates "the tears" in reality that allow the Zhan to fall through. The weather or electrical charge itself does not make it a zhan storm. It is a weakness in barrier between Kerren and Warp, plus the storm energies, that create the tears.

[See warp section]

The Zhan are egg shaped jello like creatures. They are packets of alien protiens and a simple nervous system. The theory is that they are an alien lifeform's seed pod. In size, they range from the size of Hawk eggs (Chicken sized) to Gip eggs (A US football or a Rugby ball). They enter the world through tears created by certain types of electrical storms. The Zhan comes with a Zhan string or tail. That extra bit of gelatinous protien a 1 to 5 meter broad rippled ribbon acts like a parachute, allowing them to slowly fall to the ground. They wither and dry within a day of the Zhan reaching the ground. They are only infectious if they are consumed within that time.

When they reach the ground, they detach their ribbon and slowly ooze about hunting for any plant or animal (or a place to hide). Their speed is slower than a standard walking pace, so they need either a sleeping target, an immobile plant, or a place to suprise or drop upon an animal.

Note: Zhan absorb water until they eventually burst. The proteins die off quickly in water.

The skin of the zhan exudes a chemical agent that makes cell walls permeable to protein transfers. (A similar chemical is used by healers or a virus to get medicine/ virus into the system.) Once a zhan makes contact, the creature "inserts" a volume of alien protien. As the Zhan infects lifeforms, it becomes smaller and smaller, until it is eventually empty. The bigger the lifeform, the greater the amount of alien protein that must be inserted to infect the target.

If the contact is too little, the area around the contact begins to die off and become a festering wound. A grey coloration is very common. Many clumsy ryders have dragons missing chunks of their wings due to zhan brushes. Ryders without limbs (most which have been amputated) have had contact with Zhan.

Any lifeforms that come into contact with Zhan and becomes “infected” by the Zhan. The infected lifeform, be it plant, animal, dragon or human, begins to mutate. Such infected creatures develop new physical capabilities and a predatory nature. All plants take on a greyish hue. Infected animals can be grey or any color. Most "monsters" are very efficient hunters, killing everything they attack. However, if something survives a monster attack, it is normally infected itself and the cycle continues.

Zhan Monsters are a regular animal, PLUS one to five mutant traits. Given the power and abilities of a regular Kerren animal (Dinosaur or giant insect), zhan monsters can be quite formitable.

There will be a expanded 1d20 chart with zhan mutant traits. There will be one for plants, one for animals, one for dragons and one for humans. There will also be "packages" of commonly grouped traits (Vampire/ Zombi/ Wendigo/ Spider for animals and trappers/ binders/ and gassers for plants), that you can just drop on a lifeform.

Zhan infection stops a lifeform's ability to breed. Zhan infection can only be transfered through a syrum transfter (bite saliva, injected toxins, etc). So while "an area" can be infected, it eventually dies out and is reclaimed by native flora/ fauna.

Remember zhan themselves are gloppy things that basically breakdown cell walls, and become part of the existing cell.. entering into a lifeform. No true syrum transfer here, it is more like a viral infection- a dna exchange. So a Zhan that can not find an animal to infect, eventually bleeds mass into the plants.. who become grey plants. Greyzones are dangerous because the plants become predatory taking down animals with poisons, spikes, and the occasional trapping mechanism.

When plants are infected, they become more dangerous, but seldom predatory to other plants... therefore no syrum transfer. They do take out the occasional animal, most of which die, but not all (those that survive often become zhani). Animals infected become carnivores; original carnivores become really deadly. They infect other creatures that survive their attacks (where spit or toxin), which is not likely as they are much more efficient as predators.

Note: urine is not normally considered syrum, in terms of transfer... so urinating zhan do not project the infection that way.

For zhan to take over the biosphere, you would need an herbavore to be infected and not become a carnavore. As it eats leaves and grasses, it would infect those things. If the herbavore ate regular plants and zhan infected ones (without succumbing to poisons and such), this herbavore zhani could spread the infection indefinately. (Could happen in your saga)

I think the biosystem's defense against the Zhan is to shut down anything's ability to reproduce. Zhani are efficient predators, so if they could breed they would take over the food chain.

Also the Dragon branch includes Hoppers (our veloceraptors), Gliders, SeaDragons, Mini-dragons, and probably one more. All of them have increased para-sensory abilities because of the amount of nerves in their wing /glider /webbing. These creatures are sensitive to warp (and electromagnetic fields) and things that came through warp (which allows them to know when Zhan are in the area). (That extra neural web in their wings allow them to warp/ phase/ etc.). So the dragons burn these things, but the other ones are known to attack them (and since they are able to sense their presence, more able to avoid zhani suprise attacks.

Everything on Kerren is more sensative to electromagnetic fields than Terran creatures. Perhaps that is another part of the biosystem's defense.

Theoretically, a species or two might have evolved to have an immunity to zahn, althought this can be a blessing and a curse. If people figure out that it's immune, and they have the technology, they might be able to make a vaccine, which Riders at the very least would want very badly. On the other hand, if they're immune, it is also concievable that they could carry and spread a zahn infection without themselves being infected.